On Madam Lou Bunch Day, Central City comes alive with costumed beauties, handsome gamblers, and mountain men and prospectors, a brass bed race down Main Street, food, dancing and pure fun. This year’s celebration will be Saturday, June 19, in the old mining town. The choreographed dancing, food vendors, gold panning, music and historic costumes have attracted large crowds of locals and visitors for more than 30 years. Madam Lou Bunch Day was named one of America’s most unique events (out of 38,000 entries) by Events Business News Magazine.
The parade of all the dance groups, contestants in the various costume contests, bed race teams and, of course, the beds begin at noon at the Teller House and weaves down Eureka Street and up Main Street to the announcer’s booth. Dancing groups perform and the contestants for Best Madam, Best Sporting House Girl and Best Dandy Dan strut their costumes and assets. The whole afternoon of events is free.
Highlight of the day is the Brass Bed Race down and back up Main Street. Teams of three people race for their sponsor down the Main Street of town, around a whiskey barrel and back up the street to the finish line. The biggest challenge is trying to make good time heading back uphill. The Bed Races begin at 3 p.m. and traditionally every business in town sponsors a team. Two trophies are awarded to the proud winning teams: one for First Place (and $500) and one for Best Costumes. Yes, there are rules and penalties for violations, which add seconds to that team’s time.
At 7 p.m., June 19, in the historic Teller House, the Madams & Miners Ball begins. After a final runway turn, winners are announced for Madam of the Year, Best Sporting House Girl and Best Dandy Dan.
Colorado’s legendary parlor houses began closing when the reformers gained political ascendency. The wide-open ways of our mountain mining towns were changed (or at least bent). Lou left Central City in 1914 and her house on The Row on Pine Street, one block up from Main Street, was left vacant. Today only the foundations of The Row and memories exist.
